RAZORLINE

'Razorline' was an imprint of American comic-book company Marvel Comics that ran from 1993-1995. It was created by filmmaker and horror/fantasy novelist Clive Barker, with its characters existing outside mainstream Marvel continuity and in one of its several alternate universes.

Contents

Publication history

Other titles

In other media

Quotes

See also

Footnotes

References

Publication history

The Razorline imprint consisted of four interrelated titles, based on Barker's detailed premises, titles and lead characters. These were:

★ ''Ectokid'' — written first by James Robinson, then by future ''Matrix'' co-creator Larry Wachowski, and penciled by Steve Skroce

★ ''Hokum & Hex'' — written by Frank Lovece, penciled by Anthony Williams

★ ''Hyperkind'' — written by Fred Burke, penciled by Paris Cullins and inked by Bob Petrecca

★ ''Saint Sinner'' — written by Elaine Lee, penciled and inked by Max Douglas
Marcus McLaurin was the editor. The four titles were preceded by a one-shot sampler: ''Razorline: First Cut''.
As Barker described:

In 2005, the appendix page of the Official Handbook to the Marvel Universe one-shot involving alternate universes revealed that the Earth of the Razorline imprint is designated "'Earth-45828. Relatively real-world, without other superheroes, it includes Marvel Comics as a comic-book publisher, with Razorline characters making references to "''X-Men'' comics" and to Marvel editor Stan Lee's ''Fantastic Four'' writing.
Although two titles were superhero series and all were released with a Comics Code seal, they were often racked with horror and unrated comics, a factor that entered into the Razorline's short run of seven to nine issues each.
Two one-shots followed: ''Hyperkind Unleashed'' (which included a "Hokum & Hex" prose short story) and ''Ektokid Unleashed'' (which included a "Saint Sinner" prose short story).

Other titles

Before the cancellations, several issues of four subsequent series were in various stages of completion: ''Wraitheart'' (written by Frank Lovece, art by Hector Gomez), ''Schizm'' (written by Fred Burke), ''Mode Extreme'' (written by Sarah Byam), and ''Fusion Force''. These were to have begun blending the Razorline into primary Marvel continuity; Nick Fury and S.H.I.E.L.D. agents including Jimmy Woo, for instance, guest-starred in ''Wraitheart'' #5; the Punisher was to have guest-starred in "Mode Extreme" #5.

In other media

A 2002 Barker telefilm titled ''Saint Sinner'' bore no relation to the comic. "I was always disappointed with the way that Marvel handled that entire line of comics, particularly ''Saint Sinner''. I thought that's a waste of a good title. It was something that called for finding a new life in some way or another".^[1]

Quotes

'Clive Barker:': "I loved many of the Razorline characters, and it was always a sadness to me that our work in the medium was ill-timed. As you probably know, the Razorline material was produced at a time when the comics industry was about to go through one of its worst shake-ups. Marvel almost disappeared entirely. Razorline was a victim of Marvel's downsizing. Very sad".^[2]

See also

★ Marvel Comics Universe

★ Marvel Comics multiverse

Footnotes

1. HollywoodIsBurning.com: "Clive Barker", by Mike Watt
2. Barnes and Noble.com chat transcript (Dec. 15, 1999), reprinted at CliveBarker.com

References

★ Independent Heroes from the USA: Clive Barker's Razorline

★ Frank Lovece official site: ''Hokum & Hex''

★ Lambiek Comiclopedia: Steve Skroce

★ CliveBarker.com (fan site): Comics

★ The Grand Comic Book Database

★ The Unofficial Handbok of Marvel Comics Creators